Daisy May
by SayastClair
Summary: Melinda May meets Skye as a young girl and helps form her to the woman she becomes.
1. Chapter 1

AU- Daisy May: Chapter 1

Austin, Texas was supposed to be an easy mission. An easy assignment to help get out of a funk.

Nothing seemed to go right for Melinda May these Days. It started routine enough.

Mission: Observe "Thomas Nash" aka Clairvoyant. Potential psychic. First eval for Index.

All she had to do was observe learn his routine. Whether he had powers or not was irrelevant. His activities were underground lawbreakers was starting to arouse suspicion. Had he been dealing drugs and selling weapons like a normal up and coming mob boss. Shield would have passed the information onto FBI and continued on.

But no, he was searching for people. Powered people, Gifted humans, experiments that have gone wrong, nuclear reactor casualties he wasn't picky. That was where shield came in. People were turning up missing. At first, it was runaways that no one cared to report but then a pattern was emerging. May's job was to find out how he was operating things. How he was finding people that even shield couldn't find. The people that were believed to be grabbed had shown no sign of powers but he was taking them regardless. How is he choosing his victims? Is he actually clairvoyant and will know who will eventually develop powers.

That was the real issue. If he could know who would be gifted before they did, he could condition them to be loyal to him and him alone. An unstoppable army in the future.

May tracked him easy enough and was shadowing him for a few weeks when shit hit the fan. Nash was meeting someone in a busy shopping center. May stayed at a distance, observing and not engaging. Then a searing pain hit her arm just below her shoulder. Glancing to her right, she saw a thick straight cut on her arm bleeding rivulets down her arm. She tried to look around to the buildings surrounding her, trying to find the shooter. No success.

Clearly, she was made and a retreat was necessary. As stealthy as she could she back to a wall and walked to the nearest blind spot she could find. A back alley of a church. The tall column with statues on the ends provided a great cover from the taller buildings around her. Giving her a moment to assess her situation. Looking at her arm she could tell she would need stitches at some point but it didn't hit any major arteries so the likely hood of her bleeding out quickly was ruled out.

May pulled out her cell phone and quickly called her handler. "This is Sitwell." A male voice answered after a few rings.

"Agent May 519-642-8990 AT." A pause on the line. " We are secure go ahead, Agent May."

"I've been made. It was without warning. I don't know if I have been compromised from the start or recently. Requesting extraction. Sir."

"Denied Agent. I'm sorry but we can't send in a team. SHIELD can't have a presence investigating Nash. Your orders May. Protocol of Tabula Rasa. Good luck."

The line went dead.

With a deep breath Agent, Melinda May shut her phone off and placed it back into her pocket. She was on her own for now. Tabula Rasa was a protocol that was used more often then she would like to admit. Any agent under orders was to go dark. No help from Shield and survive on their own merits. Report back in when clear. Shield operated in the shadows and it was where it needed to stay. Agents that couldn't be extracted had to cut all ties, hide all evidence of being apart of the organization. It was a part of the job that field agents had to live with. In particular specialist like Melinda May.

" This is definitely not what I had in mind when I thought about how this day was going to go," Melinda muttered under her breath. She took a few calming breaths the lower her heart rate back down and to focus her mind. Looking around the alley she noticed 2 side doors, one clearly leading into the Church's main room and another to a large building. The Church would be too easy to find her in only so many places to hide and too many entrances, let alone the windows. With one more glance around Agent May briskly walked to the second door keeping her eyes and ears out for her would be the shooter.

Thankfully the door was open and she slipped inside undetected. She entered what looked like a cover patio or mudroom. Up ahead another door. This one was locked and with a few passes of her boot knife to the side of the door, she was in. This next room was clearly some sort of common area. A few couches were placed around as well a well-worn TV and tables with what looked like arts and craft attempts on it. It was the corner of the room though that caught her eye though. To Melinda's right out of sight of both doors sitting in the corner surrounded by what looked like a computer part was a young girl of perhaps 15 or so staring at her with curious eyes. The knife was still in her hand from opening the door, so she quickly placed it in her boot not wanting to scare her.

A few seconds passed where both females looked on at each other taking their measure. " Are you robbing us? You don't look the type." The scrawny brunette spoke. " No." was the curt response. " Well, that's good, not that you'll find much here. Orphanages don't really have much to steal." Another pause

" Are you going to tell anyone you saw me?" Melinda was nothing if not frank. " Nope." Popping her P with her one-word response. As if to prove that she was telling the truth. She turned back to the parts around her placing a few pieces together paying no mind to what the older Asian woman was doing. A small smirk graced Melinda's face. " Thanks, kid." She turned to head into the next room before stopping and looking back at the girl. " What's your name?"

" Mary Sue." She replied with a scrunched up nose. With her almond-shaped eyes and slightly tanned skin with dark hair, a Mary Sue wasn't the name she would have imagined for this girl clearly of Asian descent. Melinda arched her eyebrow in question but stayed silent. " Yeah I didn't pick the name," she replied needing no prompting. " How long have you been here?" A bit of sadness crept into her voice. A life for someone in the system was rarely pleasant, especially if they were older. " I got dropped here when I was a baby so, a long time." she shrugged her shoulders to give off an air of not caring but she tucked into to herself a little more clearly uncomfortable admitting the amount of time she's been here.

May didn't comment, she knew enough people who have gone through the system to know it is not something they like to talk about. "Where does the door go?" Nodding her head towards the next obstacle. " Some of the bunks for the Girls." Mary paused thinking out her next statement. " There's another door that leads to the office facing the street. A hallway connects to the next set of rooms. This building is mainly living space."

"Are there any other…." Mary interrupted May. "If you want to get out without anyone seeing you, You can go through the crawl space in the roof, it leads out near the staple and you can get to another building pretty easily. Though the Basement is more my speed. There is a hatch in the corner over there It has a sewer access so you can get to a lot more places." Melinda just looked at her curious who the young girl was, helping her for no apparent reason. She wasn't lying. Years as a specialist gave her a good sense of when people were not being truthful. "Why are you helping me?" Mary Sue just shrugged her shoulders. " Sometimes people just need help. I've never been a big believer in God and Faith but the Nuns are big on helping people. I've always liked it I guess. "

" I usually don't need any help. Thank Mary Sue. "

"God I hate that name, I mean seriously of all the names."

"Pick a New one."

"That Simple."

"Yeah. Might not be legal until your 18, but who you are is something you decide for yourself. It's just a name though.

Mary smiled a huge grin lighting up her whole face.

" What kind of name do you think I should have?"

" Something bright and happy." Melinda started going towards the hatch. "Good luck kid. You're going to need it, but I think you'll be fine."

"Thank You."

After lifting the hatch and jumping in. Mary closed it back over her and wet back to her spot. A smile on face, her day a little brighter.

Melinda May got her bearing underground and started walking towards a Shield Safehouse. Her thoughts half on getting out of the city and the other half on a girl.


	2. Chapter 2

AU- Daisy May: Chapter 2

After her failed mission in Texas, Melinda May has seriously considered a change in positions with Shield. She loved being a specialist but contrary to popular belief, she was getting older. Experience will get her father in her career, but eventually, someone is better than you. Her Husband Andrew agreed that it was time to start a family and the life of a specialist wasn't exactly the job that makes you Mom of the year.

While she wasn't a superstitious person by nature, things kept happening in life that was giving her strong signs that life was not going her way. Missions had some small mishaps. Simple things that once upon a time wouldn't have made her mad, the problems used to make the job interesting. Her mission in Texas was but one of many hiccups. Tabula Rasa protocol was being used more and more for all agents. Most were coming back fine, others weren't. Every morning at 5:30 am May had a routine of Taichi. It helped her keep calm and focused. It helped her release the tension of the days and according to her father, helped her keep her youthful appearance.

When her longtime friend and co-worker Phil Coulson asked her to join him on a welcome wagon mission. She hesitated for a moment. They were a great team. A few years back she thought about being more than a great team with Phil Coulson. Melinda knew that if her application for an administration position at the Triskelion was accepted, her time of being on the dream team with Phil would just be something people talked about during reunions. "This is probably going to be the last time Phil," Melinda told him point blank. She had already spoken to him about her decision to leave the field. "Well then, I guess it's one for the road before you go." Was his response with a sad smile.

That morning Phil came by the house, Andrew and Melinda were having a discussion about starting a family again. She was committed to changing her way of life, but Andrew could tell that she was dragging her feet a bit on it. This mission with Phil a prime example. It was hard for her and he understood that. May had trained most of her life to be the best specialist. Her combat skills in hand to hand were almost unmatched. For a female agent, she was paving the way and knocking down barriers. Giving up that life, even for the purpose of motherhood and family, was something that takes a minute to wrap your head around. But this was the last mission. "One for the road."

Bahrain Changed everything for Melinda May. Now she's the Calvary.

The welcome wagon was a bust. The woman was gifted, her strength unparalleled. Phil planned on talking her down. No one could have imagined that her daughter was the real problem. So far most gifted people that shield has indexed were at least past puberty. The changing in their bodies hormones triggering their powers. Melinda May has made the hard calls before. Killing that little girl wasn't a hard call. It was an impossible call. It broke her. It was someone she couldn't save. Everyone knows the motto. Kill one to save a thousand. One was just a little girl playing on the road. No idea what she was doing or how to control her abilities.

She couldn't muster up the power to tell anyone what happened. Phil Coulson told her to let the girl go. He didn't realize she already did. The minute she pulled the trigger, she let the girl go. She gave up on her. Andrew her loving husband tried to reach her, but every day she sealed off more and more, replaying the moments in her head thinking of things she could have done differently. If there was any way to know, an in her eyes, he tried to shrink her. He tried to get her to open up and talk about how she feels. But she couldn't she couldn't say out loud that she killed a child. She killed a child to save her life. Yes, there were others lives on the line. But when the adrenaline was rushing and her leg gave out on her, it was her life she was thinking about her future she wasn't going to have. She wanted a family, the chance to be a mom. She didn't realize that she wasn't going to get that chance now. Her physical wounds healed. It was everything else that broke.

Once she was out of the hospital and cleared for duty. Melinda May was accepted at the Triskelion in Administration. Andrew and she were talking about separating. She couldn't look at Coulson in the eye. The story of Bahrain was getting more and more far-fetched as the days went on. Fighting people on horseback, her against 100 the list went on and on. The Cavalry. She hated that name.

After a few months the papers were finalized and while it was heartbreaking on both sides, Melinda and Andrew divorced amicably. She loved him but couldn't let him in. He loved her but couldn't help her through her pain, and he couldn't be an afterthought as she ran through her day on autopilot. Now the most dangerous thing in Mays life was papercuts. She filed and sorted, stapled, and collated. Barely reading the words unless she had to. The pain had dulled. The memories still haunted her dreams but slowly she was learning to cope with it.

One day she overheard a few cubicles over co-worker mention their parents. She spoke to her mother three months ago to tell her parents about the divorce. They weren't pleased but understood somethings can't be fixed overnight. That night as she unwinded from the office in her house, Melinda picked up the phone and dialed her parents in Arizona.

 _" Hello?"_ Her father answered

"Hi, Dad." She spoke softly. In the background, she could hear her mother. _" Is that our daughter! Has she come to her senses yet."_

"Hi, Mom." She spoke knowing that her mother couldn't hear her. " And no nothing has changed with Andrew."

 _" How are you daughter?"_ He spoke softly. Melinda was never one to call out of the blue. He knew something was wrong.

"I'm not good Dad." She whispered. " I'm actually doing so badly that I want to talk to Mom."

 _"Really!?"_ Her father spoke with astonishment. _"Well you must be having a bad time, I clearly recall you saying that the next time you are going to willing talk to your mother is to tell her that you are not naming any future children after her."_

A small chuckle left May's voice. " Yeah, I'm still holding to that by the way. I know she's hovering near you, can I talk to her please."

 _"Sure Darling. Hold on a moment."_ Some shuffling was heard before a blunt. " _This must be a life or death situation Melinda"_

"Mom. I killed her. She was just a little girl. I killed her."

" _Is this about Bahrain? I have a friend call me a few weeks ago. He keeps me up to date with what's happening in the spy business. He said that I must be proud to have such an accomplished daughter. I told him he such expects nothing less. I didn't tell him that you don't care for horses and probably didn't ride down a battalion on one."_

" Yeah Mom, it's about Bahrain. I didn't put everything in the report. The story has gotten out of hand. We tracked a gifted individual we were supposed to be on the welcome wagon…"

 _"Who is we?"_

"Agent Coulson."

 _"Ah, the white boy who is always hanging around."_

" Yeah mom him. Anyways we got there then everything just went wrong. There was a little girl, we thought she was just playing tag. She was the target's daughter." Melinda took a deep breath, never having spoken the story before. " She was controlling everyone, the entire strike team, and local rebels. She was feeding off their pain, or causing them pain I'm not sure but it wasn't good. I was down, hurt badly. I didn't want to but I didn't see another way.

 _" So you killed the girl."_

"I didn't tell Andrew or Agent Coulson. I didn't report it or anything. Mom, you are the only one I've told. I'm not sure how to keep going with what I've done."

 _" Put one foot in front of the other. That's all you can do. I'm happy you did what you did though."_

"You're Happy?!" Melinda cried in shock. " What could possibly be happy about this?"

 _" You're alive. I would choose my daughter over a child I have never met a thousand times. That might seem cruel or blunt to others but it is my right as a mother to favor my child over anyone else's."_

" While I appreciate the thought mom, where do I go from here. Andrew and I are over, most likely for good. We said a lot of things that will take a lot of time for us to forgive."

" _Go to Church or something. Volunteer. Charitable works perhaps. Maybe it will make you feel a bit better if you try to seek some redemption."_

"It can't be that easy Mom."

" _Of course it won't. I can hear it in your voice. You won't get past this for a long time my daughter. I wish I could tell you some magical way to make peace with this decision but there isn't one. I have done many things I am not proud of in the name of duty. But I have you, I have your father, and if that means that if I get the choice to do all my mistakes over, I would change nothing because I would never risk changing that. You have to move on and find something in your future that makes all of this worth it. At least if nothing else you get a wonderful moniker to make your reputation seem otherworldly."_

" I hate when people call me the Calvary. Every time I hear it, I see her face."

" _It's just a name. It's not who you are. You don't like it, change it."_

A spark of memory entered May's head of the girl she met in Texas.

" You know I have heard that advice before. Thank you, Mom. You don't know how much I needed you right now."

 _"Of course I know. I'm your mother. Goodnight."_

" Goodnight Mom, Say goodnight to dad too."

Once the phone was hung up, Melinda sat on her couch staring blankly at the wall. She didn't know how to go on yet, but it didn't feel like the world was caving in on her anymore.


	3. Chapter 3

AU- Daisy May Chapter 3

A few weeks had passed for Melinda after talking to her Mother. Her days became structured and monotonous. 5:30 am -Tai chi, Showered, dressed and out the door by 7 am. In the office reading emails by 7:45. 12 Noon was her lunch break. She didn't bother leaving her desk. Quitting time was at 5:00 pm. Home by 6:00 pm with the rush hour traffic of D.C. Dinner for one was cooked and on the table by 7 pm. After reading the latest book in her must read before you die list, May was in bed no later than 9 pm.

Over and over the cycled continued.

Her job was mindless. Barely any effort went into the filing and data entry that she did on a daily basis. Missions were logged in. Counts were added. Cadets turned agents submitted their paperwork for processing in her inbox, completely unaware of the legend sitting behind the desk.

Her thoughts wandered often, most days to Bahrain. She played the mission over and over in her head, wondering what she could have done differently. On good days the advice of her mother would float in her head. Those days, Melinda's words to Mary Sue would always pop in her head.

" It's a name. It's not who you are. It doesn't define you." Melinda would find herself whispering the words under her breath. It was a mantra. It helped her calm her turbulent thought of killing the girl. "The Calvary saved the entire team. She's not a murderer. She did her job the best way she could. It's just a name."

During one of her mindscape sessions of self-help. Melinda wondered how Mary was doing in Texas. In their brief interaction, May could tell that she was an intelligent girl and someone who has had to be a good judge of character for most of their life. She looked to be about 15 years old or so. That was was a long time to not be adopted. In reality, the chances were slim that she would be at her age. A few years left until she was a legal adult.

Melinda's workload was light so she paused and opened her computer up to a google search of the Orphanage that she used to escape her would-be assailant.

St. Augustine's Home for the youth.

The phone number for the orphanage was easy to find.

Melinda's wrote it down on a sticky note and attached it to her phone. For the first time in a month, she left her desk during lunchtime.

When 12 noon rolled around May was quick to shut down her computer and leave the building. When you work for a spy agency finding a place to make a personal call was more difficult than she would have liked. A quick walk to her car solved the issue for the most part.

Once she dialed the number it only took a few rings for someone to pick up.

 _" St Augustine Church. This is Siste Ava how may I help you today?"_

" Hello, I'm inquiring about a child in your youth program."

 _"Oh, is this to adopt?"_

" Um, not quite I was just looking to find some information actually."

 _" Okay, I see, Well I will need some information from you first before we give out information about our children."_

"Of Course, What do you need?"

It took about 15 minutes all together to give Sister Ava Melinda's basic information.

 _" Okay now that I have all of that written down. What kind of information can I help you with?"_

" I met a girl a few months back. I wanted to check up on her and see how she is doing?"

 _"Did you get her name by chance, or can you describe her to me. Unfortunately, we have quite a few girls here."_

"Yes her name was Mary Sue."

 _"Oh, Mary! Such a sweet girl. She is actually no longer with us here."_

Assuming the Sister didn't mean death Melinda breathed a sigh of relief. " Oh she's been adopted then, that's good to hear. I only met her briefly but she deserves the chance to have a family."

 _" We are hopeful for adoption but she is actually being fostered by a very nice family from a few cities over. The Brodies."_

" Just fostered?" Melinda asked

" _Yes, they have another child and just want to make sure its a good fit. It happens quite often when people take in older children. Mary has been here the longest now so we have been praying for this opportunity."_

" She mentions that she has been with you since she was a baby. If you are able to tell me, Why was she not adopted sooner? Does she have a medical condition or something along those lines? I've been under the impression that babies and newborns have the highest chance of being adopted."

" _Yes, typically that's correct. Mary is as fit as a fiddle, she hardly ever has and health issues. For lack of a better explanation she just has bad luck. She has been a fostered with quite a few families, they always say it's not a right fit." Sister Ava sighed deeply. " It's hard to watch it happen."_

" I can only imagine what it is like," Melinda responded.

 _" Ms. May, Are you interested in Mary Sue? Fostering I mean.?" A hopeful tone was in Sister Ava's voice._

" Yes, I mean no. I just wanted to know how she was doing. I don't live near there. She leaves an impression."

 _" Yes, she does. Is there anything else I can help with Ms. May?"_

"No, thank you. You have been more than helpful."

With her lunch break just about over, Melinda left her car and headed back to her office. She felt a little lighter after her conversation with Sister Ava. While May didn't do anything in particular, just knowing that this young girl is getting a chance at something good in life was refreshing. Not everything was going wrong in the world.

Little did Melinda May over 6 states over, a young girls world started crumbling, just when she thought she finally found solid ground.

Mary Sue was not your average 15-year-old girl. She has been a resident of St. Augustine's home for the youth her entire life. She has been fostered in 15 homes. One for each year. Some homes lasted for months others only a few weeks or even less. Something always went wrong. It wasn't a good fit was the most common answer to her big question of Why. Other times, the paperwork didn't go through, the family suddenly had financial issues and couldn't take in another person.

Mary told Sister Ava that she must be the unluckiest person in the world. Sister Ava was more fun than most of the nuns, she was always more candid with the kids. She never preached the faith to those who were honestly not responsive to it. She treated us like people who just needed a bit more help than others. So when she was down and thinking the worst, Sister Ava's response made her laugh, cry and feel better all in one.

" You might actually be the unluckiest person in the world, Mary, At this point your old enough to know that life just doesn't always go your way, no matter how much you follow the rules and do good. But one day You are going to make someone else feel like the luckiest person to have you in their life. You might be unlucky but you are not worthless Mary."

Mary Sue looked at Sister Ava like she just gave the worst advice, but after a few moments of thinking it over she just could help but cry, then the laughter started to mix in with her sobs. Sister Ava was right she wasn't worthless. She was unlucky but not worthless. She wasn't even the unluckiest person in the world. The true losers in that department were the families that didn't want her. She would have made an excellent daughter.

Two weeks later the Brodies came by and picked her out of everyone else. She gave SIster Ava a big hug when she left, promising to be good. It didn't take Mary long to fall in love with the family. Her would-be parents were great, they were fun but had rules. And her "sister" seemed easy to get along with. Cessily didn't seem overly excited about Mary, but she was kind and helpful when they went to class. She didn't shy away from introducing her to her friends, which is way more than what some of her other foster families did.

It was almost a month before he luck ran out. Mary blamed herself. She wanted to test out the words. Everything seemed to be going so well. She called Mrs. Brodie Mom. She didn't even seem to mind. But the next day Cessily and Mary came home to their "parents" arguing. SOme notices came in about late payments. Apparently, there was some computer mix up and they were shown to be in default on their mortgage. Somehow the money they paid went to someone else's account. The bank representatives were helpful in getting it all cleared up but the money was tied in the mishap.

Mary Saw it coming before they even decided. She was going back to St. Augustine.

She told the Brodies she understood and that they should feel bad. Cessily actually seemed the most choked up. She kept her head high and didn't let them seem that inside she was dying. The rejection, home after home was not getting easier.

She kept her face passive the entire drive home. She greeted the other kids in the orphanage the same as she always did. They had dinner talked about the local neighborhood fairs and festivals that were planned for the summer. When night came Mary Sue got into bed and waited for everyone else to fall asleep. By midnight Sister Ava was doing a check on all of the kids and found Mary's bunk empty. It didn't take her more than 10 minutes to find her in the Church Hall sitting on a pew her legs tucked up and her head buried in her hands crying like the world had given up on her.

Sister Ava made a call first thing in the morning to Melinda May.


	4. Chapter 4

AU-Daisy May-Chapter 4

It had only been a week since Melinda had called St Augustine's.

Tuesday Morning, on her way into headquarters, her phone rang with a familiar Texan number. She paused debating on answering it now or letting voicemail screen what they wanted. After another ring curiosity got the better of her for once and she picked it up with her car's Bluetooth.

"Hello, this is May."

"Oh, Ms. May. This Is Sister Ava from St. Augustine's We spoke not too long ago about Mary Sue."

"Yes, I remember Sister, how can I help you?"

" Well, You see when we spoke last I told you that Mary was being fostered." Melinda made a small hum in confirmation. " We held really high hopes for this one to stick. The Brodies seemed very wonderful and had everything in order but…"

"She was sent back." Melinda cut her off " I'm very sorry to hear that it must be rough."

" If I may be frank Ms. May, you don't strike me as a person who likes to waste time. I would like for you to consider fostering Mary."

Melinda's face stayed calm. Her outward appearance did not betray her fast beating heart.

" I'm sorry Sister Ava, I really wish I could help you but I don't think I'm a good candidate."

" Is it Financial? Foster parents get a check for the cost of living for every child, it's very adequate."

" No. No, money isn't a problem for me."

" Your Single status isn't an issue, let me assure you." Sister Ava powered on.

" I didn't think it would be. I'm not really a nurturing person these days. I don't think I should be in charge of the well being of a teenage girl."

" Yes, you are." Sister Ava said very frankly. " You called to check on a girl you met once. Someone so wholly unconnected to you. You might not be the PTSA president but you care for people. Forgive me for being pushy and I'm sorry if I have offended you at all."

"You haven't Sister Ava. It's not easy to hurt my feelings."

" Nevertheless, Ms. May, Mary is a very bright girl with a beautiful soul. The Brodies were her 15th foster family. She's been sent back every year since we have had her. Can you imagine what that does to a person, being constantly told that this isn't your family, that you are not wanted? I've seen her cry before and rage against the injustice of it all, but last night I watched her lose the last bit of hope she's managed to keep throughout it all. If I can't find a way to fix this now. I'm afraid when she ages out of the system in three years she'll be a broken woman. She won't last long like that. I'm begging you to at the very least please consider it."

Melinda was silent as Sister Ave pleaded her case. She knew all about losing hope and being a broken woman. Bahrain saw to that.

" If there were more people like you Sister Ava, fighting for every person, the world would be a much better place."

"Thank you for saying that. I apologize again for calling so early and trying to force this on you. Mary Sue really does not deserve this happening to her over and over again."

"I'll think about is Sister Ava."

"Thank You, Ms. May."

Shortly after Melinda finished her call she pulled into headquarters and started her day. Her thoughts were heavy.

' I can't foster her. Secret Agent and Mom don't exactly mix. Well, actually I'm just admin now it's not like I'm on the mission roster.'

" Snap out of it May!" She spoke to herself as she sat at her desk.

An image played in her mind of when she met Mary ' I've been here a while"

May could only imagine. 15 homes in 15 years. It sounds like something that shouldn't even be possible. Looking around at her desk noting that nothing was pressing, May loaded up her computer and started a search for one Mary Sue Poots of St Augustine's.

' It really is the worst name.' Melinda thought to herself as she typed.

Working for Shield for most of her life made Melinda May see shadows everywhere she went. She assumed the worst before the best. More often than not the extreme paranoia was unwarranted, but it has saved her life too many times for her to change. Today though that was not the case. May had spent the last two hours searching on Mary Sue. On the surface, everything seemed to be in order. Mary Sue just had bad luck. According to SHIELD though, no one is that unlucky. It took Melinda longer than she would care to admit to finding the hidden algorithm in Mary's government profile. Computers had never been her strong suit. What stumped her was that the code linked back to a shield server. It was a level 8 clearance which Melinda was able to bypass quickly with her credentials. What she found was a mission file 15 years old heavily redacted.

May sent the algorithm to the communications division to get it analyzed. It only took them 15 minutes to get back to her and tell her it was a shuffle program. A code designed to randomly move an object around to avoid detection. Apparently, it was very common in the agency for items that had restricted access and couldn't be kept in a single location.

By the time lunch rolled around May had put a few things together. Someone in SHIELD tried to hide Mary Sue. According to mission files they are all dead now. She took that with a grain of salt since she herself had been listed at KIA twice. Thomas Nash was in the area looking for powered people. The only guesswork was whether Mary had powers, or will she get powers, or is she simply a coincidence of the area. Another SHIELD mission went astray.

Melinda was ready to turn in her findings to Agent Sitwell as he was running her op in Texas, when she saw women walk into her office frazzled and in a hurry. She recognized her as a fellow agent. She came straight to Melinda desk and handed her a flash drive.

" I'm so sorry Agent May! I got a call from my daughter's school and left a bit early. I got all the way home before I realized I still had the flash drive with the meeting notes on it from yesterday's conference. I hope you weren't looking for it at all."

Honestly, May had been so tied up with Mary she forgot that she had to go over those notes.

" It's not a problem Suzanne. Things happen. Is your daughter okay?"

" Oh, she is fine!" Suzanne waved off. " She got into a bit of trouble at school with another girl. Of course over a boy. But you know how things are when your that age. Hormones going crazy, your body is changing, and frankly, teenage girls are bitches." She giggled " I don't miss it."

Melinda couldn't help but smile. " How much trouble is she in?"

" Well from the school 3-day suspension. I didn't bother adding to the punishment, because I've met the other girl and her mother, I fully believe they deserved it. Besides I've always believed in standing up for yourself, especially young girls. My daughters still young, but I only have so many years to shape her up and release her into the world. She will still make mistakes, but she with all the stories I've told her, at least she won't be making my mistakes."

Suzanne nodded her head and waved goodbye as she walked off.

Melinda clutched the flash drive in her hand thinking over an albeit brief conversation. Mary did not have anyone to teach her right from wrong. She was sure the nuns did their best but it was a common case of overcrowded underfunded. Who helped Mary when she was having boy troubles at school? How did she even do in school? Who gave her life lessons about mistakes. Was someone there to take her side in a dispute, unquestionable loyalty that only a family can bring. What if she did develop some sort of power or gift. 15 years in a foster system being told you weren't good enough can't exactly make a stable individual.

Could she? Could she be that person to a teenage girl? Melinda was barely holding on herself most days. But she could see it; flashes of events that haven't happened. Grocery shopping, movies nights on the couch, homework spread out over the table, paper mache projects that are entirely too much work.

'I think I could do it, I could protect her. If nothing else a few years with me could at least give her some stability. If she wants to leave at 18 I can't stop her. But at least for as long as she lets me, she has a place to call home. Everyone needs a home.'

Her mind made up Melinda grabbed her phone and called up to the Top floor.

"Director Fury's office."

" This is Agent May, I am on my way up to see Fury. It's important. Please let him know." Without waiting for a response May hung up the phone and walked towards the elevator. In a few minutes, she arrived at her destination.

" Director Fury will see you now Agent May." The no-nonsense receptionist said as soon as she disembarked from the elevator.

Without breaking her stride she walked to the doors, scanned her badge and walked in.

Nick Fury was standing at the window overlooking the city. When he heard the door he turned and leveled Melinda with his solitary gaze.

"What can I do for you Agent May, you said it was important."

" I need an off-books full Identity and protection house. Local is fine."

"Off books, I was under the impression you weren't active duty currently May?"

" Its personal Director. I'm asking for a favor which I'm sure you will call in when you need it."

"A Melinda May favor, no questions asked when I call it in."

A small frown made its way to her face. "I trust you enough Sir that you won't ask me to do something without just cause but yes. A solid Favor."

" Deal, what do you need." Nick Fury walked to his desk and scanned his hand on a biometric lock. " The room is secure no one can hear or see."

" I'm adopting a girl. I want her to have a new identity I'll need solid credentials for myself as well so that my work here can't be traced to her. Also, I'll need a house off books. I'll still be here working in Admin sir. I'm not turning my back on SHIELD by any stretch."

"You're asking for a life outside of it." At her nod Fury Continued. " I can make the clearance level 10, why does it need to be off books?"

" A gut feeling sir."

" Doesn't anyone know about this, Coulson?"

"No Sir and I would like to keep it that way. If I tell anyone it will be in my own time"

" I'll have it done by the end of the day May, Good Luck. For all the things I have done in life. Child Care is not in my skill set."

" Thank you, sir. This is important to me. I don't know if I can ever go back to how I was before, but I know what I'm doing is right, and I haven't felt that in a long time."

Melinda Turned to walk out of the room but stopped at Fury's voice " Agent May, Off the record. DO you still believe in SHIELD?"

Agent May turned and stared at Director Fury. " I believe in what we stand for sir always have an always will. But to me, it seems like what we stand for isn't always what we are doing."

"Thank you, Agent May, for your honesty. In return, I won't ask about this again. After I set you up, this conversation never happened."

At her nod, Melinda May stepped out of the office and headed back to her cubicle. She needs to look for flights to Texas.


End file.
